Coaches suffered AFCON heartbreak

Rival 2025 Africa Cup of Nations closing coaches in Rabat on Sunday, Walid Regragui of Morocco and Pape Thiaw of Senegal have each skilled the heartbreak of dropping a title decider as gamers.
Striker Thiaw was a part of the Senegal squad that misplaced the 2002 AFCON closing on penalties after a 0-0 draw with defending champions Cameroon.
Full-back Regragui performed within the following closing, two years later, which Morocco misplaced 2-1 to hosts Tunisia.
Senegal have performed in two subsequent AFCON title deciders, dropping to Algeria in 2019 and defeating Egypt on penalties three years later.
However earlier than the 2025 AFCON, Morocco by no means progressed past the quarter-finals in eight makes an attempt since ending runners-up in Tunisia.
Regragui created historical past in 2022 when he coached Morocco to the World Cup semi-finals, surprising Belgium, Spain and Portugal en route.
It was the primary time an African or Arab nation had reached the final 4 within the quadrennial international showpiece.
What made the achievement extra exceptional was Regragui had taken cost of the Atlas Lions simply three months earlier than the World Cup kicked off after Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic was sacked.
Morocco mocked type and custom by topping a bunch together with Croatia and Belgium, then eradicated Spain on penalties and Portugal earlier than falling to France.
Primarily based on their performances in Qatar, Morocco had been overwhelming favourites to win the 2024 AFCON within the Ivory Coast.
However after cruising to the spherical of 16, they got here unstuck in opposition to South Africa. An excellent Teboho Mokoena purpose direct from a free-kick sealed a 2-0 victory for the underdogs.
Having certified comfortably for the 2026 World Cup, Morocco at the moment are one victory away from ending a 50-year await a second AFCON title after profitable the 1976 match in Ethiopia.
“We’re thought of agency favourites to win this AFCON. I learn that we are going to win the match comfortably. That if we don’t win our marketing campaign will likely be judged a failure,” Regragui informed reporters.

 ‘Lacked humility’ 
“My process, and the job of my workers and the senior gamers, is to maintain our ft on the bottom and keep in mind why Morocco has not received the AFCON for 50 years.
“Now we have not received the AFCON as a result of we lacked humility in most of the tournaments and we should not fall into that lure once more.
“Morocco have progressed since that loss to South Africa. The squad has been rejuvenated. Now we have launched younger gamers whereas retaining the skilled core of the group.
“We got here into this match with confidence, however nothing is assured,” mentioned the 50-year-old born in a southern suburb of Paris.
Regragui was capped 44 instances by Morocco throughout a 14-year taking part in profession, spent primarily in France. He had two seasons with Racing Santander in Spain and one with Moghreb Tetouan in Morocco.
Earlier than taking cost of the Atlas Lions, his main teaching achievement was main Wydad Casablanca to victory over Egyptian giants Al Ahly within the 2022 CAF Champions League closing.
After the frustration of dropping the 2002 AFCON closing, Thiaw went to the World Cup in South Korea and Japan later that yr.
Senegal surprised defending champions France 1-0 within the opening match and exceeded expectations by reaching the quarter-finals, the place they fell to Turkey.
Dakar-born Thiaw scored 5 targets in 16 nationwide group appearances and performed for golf equipment in France, Switzerland, Russia and Spain earlier than retiring in 2009.
After three seasons teaching Niarry Tally, a membership bankrolled by a biscuit firm, he was put answerable for the Senegal group making ready for the 2023 African Nations Championship (CHAN), a contest restricted to home-based footballers.
Thiaw unexpectedly led his nation to glory, defeating hosts and favourites Algeria on penalties within the closing after a goalless draw.
Now 44, he succeeded Aliou Cisse as coach of the senior nationwide group in December 2024 and has misplaced simply as soon as — to Brazil in a London pleasant match.